Valve-gear.



F. s. & A. s'. DUESENBERG.

VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13. i914.

Patented Oct. 30,1917.

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VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3. 1914.

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VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION HLED AUG. I3. l9l4- 1,244,481 f Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

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nectar/c gust 6*. .Daesenber UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

FREDERICK S. Ii'UESEJlTBEBG AND AUGUST 5. DUESENBERG, v01E DES MOINES, IQWA.

A VALVE-GEAR.

1,244,481. Original application filed April 14, 1913,

To all whom it-may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK S. DUFF SENBERG and AUGUST S. DU'ESENBERG, a subject of the Emperor of Germany and a citizen of the United States, respectively, and both residents of the city of Des Moines, county of Polk, and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve-Gears; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact Much of the inefiiciencyof gas engines now upon the market wherein puppet valves.

are used, may be traced to the valve action,

owing to the fact that at high speed the,

valves do not seat perfectly. Furthermore, due to the fact that the valves are in a position on the cylinder subject to the heat of the explosion, they become overheated and stick open, and then too they become fouled with carbon forming a product of the com bustion. In internal combustion engines heretofore constructed an exceedingly large clearance space has been practically unavoidable where it is desired to use large valves,

and this is particularly true of the well known type of T-head motor. Another disadvantageous feature'in prior constructions has been that the fuel entering through the valves has been required to flow a considerable distance before reachin the ignition means and the time required for such travel is an important factor when the motor is operating at hi h speed. It is almost essential that the el be ignited immediately upon its admission after closure of the admission valve, so closely and quickly do the events in the cycle of operation take place. Another defect in multi-cylinder engines has been-the complication of valve mechanisms with an inadequate lubricating system therefor, but which, in our invention, is a feature of the valve gear which has been carefully considered. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

It is an object of thisinventionto construct an upright internal combustion engine with valves opening horizontally into a small clearance space above the cylinders thereof, and with an improved valve gear for actuating the valves in proper sequence.

It is also an object of this invention to vconstruct an internal combustion engine provided with water jacketed valves opening laterally into a small clearance space above the cylinders and with mechanism for actuating said valves incased within the engine, concealed from view, and prctected, as well as insuring a silent running engine.

It is also an object of this invention to construct an internal combustion engine wherein a valve gear is provided for the laterally movable valves embracing a plurality of rocker arms, one for each valve and actuated by a suitable cam shaft, and with a lubricating means associated with the valve gear and operated from a part thereof to admit oil to the wearing surfaces of the gear.

It is a further object-of this invention to construct a valve gear for the valves of an internal combustion engine wherein certain members of the valve gear mechanism serve to convey lubricating oil therethrough, and with means associated with said member to intermittently communicate with the oil carrying means to feed the oil to other parts of. the gear. I

It is finally an object of this invention to provide in combination with an internal combustion engine of novel construction, a particularly eflicient valve gear incased within the walls of the engine and well lubricated at all points, and connected to be driven from" the crank shaft of the engine.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is an end elevation of anlengine embodying our invention, and with the cover for the gear case removed.

- Fig. 2 is a vertical section-thereof.

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation broken away section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan. view of' 1 the crank case with the cylinders removedand the connecting rods in section.

g- 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken through the top of the engine,

metal in any suitable manner, and is provided, if desired, with transverse interior webs, on which, and at the ends of the crank case is journaled the crank shaft 2, which may be constructed, of course, as usual, the construction in this particular as to the bearings for the crank shaft, varying with the size of the engine, and the number of cylinders employed. Said crank case is provided on its right side with a removable side plate to afford access to the interior of the crank case, and at its top is provided with a suitably apertured and seated base plate 4, which may be integral with the remainder of the crank case, if desired, and upon which seat and .are rigidly secured the respective cylinders A, B, C, and D, which are rigidly secured in place thereon in the usual or any suitable manner.

Said cylinders, as shown, are each provided at the top with a relatively narrow and upwardly extending combustion chamher 5, which communicates in the top of the cylinder and extends substantially parallel the crank shaft, and the top of the cylinder is so shaped as to afford a sli ht clearance above the piston when at the end of its exhaust, and its compression strokes.

Each of said cylinders is water jacketed, and the water jacket may be afiorded by coring the cylinder when cast or in any suit able mannen. Conveniently, on the right or ignition side of said engine, a removable plate 6, affords one wall of the water jacket, and by removal permits access to the inte rior of the water jacket for inspection or repair. For the remaining portion of the periphery of the. cylinder, and extending well into the head thereof above and around the combustion chamber, the water jacket is preferably cored in the metal, as indicated by 7, and if desired, a cover plate 8, may be provided to afiord access to the interior of the water jacket by its removal.

Inlet and exhaust ports of relatively large size are provided at the left side of the combustion chamber and are closed by mechanically operated pu pet valves 9 and 10, respectively, each 0 which is rigidly secured on a stem 11, which extends through a suitable bearing sleeve 12, seated in a suitable bore in the side of the engine cylinder adjacent the combustion chamber, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. Secured on the outer end of the valve stem 11, is a stop 13, between which and the wall of the cyllnder engages a pushing spring 14, said spring acting at all times to hold its valve closed. As shown, an oil aperture is provided in the bearing sleeve 12, for each valve stem, and opens upwardly atthe outer side ofthe sleeve, as indicated by 15, in Fig. 6, whereby the 011 (converted practically to a vapor by the splash lubrication hereinafter described) finds access to the stem to lubricate the same at all times. H

The inlet valves are arranged 1n palrs an adjacent cylinders. In the construction 'shown, in which four cylinders are used, the

inlet valves 9, of the cylinders A and B,are closely adjacent each other, and between the exhaust valves forsaidcylinders, and m the cylinders C and D, the same arrangement is maintained, so that the inlet mamfold X, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, requires but two branches for a four cylmder engine, one of the branches opening directly to the valves 9, in the cylinders A and B, and the other of the same opening directly to the valves 9, in the c linders C and D, while the exhaust manifo (1 Y, as indicated also in dotted lines in Fig. 3, is provided with four branches which lead from the respective exhaust valves and upwardly therefrom.

The right side of the combustion chamber, or that opposite the valves, is bored to af ford relatively large threaded openings therein, one directly opposite each of the valves and threaded thereintoare closures 16, for the exhaust valves, and 17, for the inlet valves, the latter of said closures being apertured to permit the insertion of a spark plug 18, in close prom'mity with the inlet valve and directed toward the axis thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. Said closures, upon removal,permit ready removal of the respective valves through the opening therefor, and permit the hand to be inserted into the cylinder to permit the cylinder to be thoroughly cleaned and any carbon therein removed, when desired, and without necessitating removing the cylinders from nally at the rear side thereof, and provided with suitable cams for actuating the respective valves. Said gears are, of course, incased to permit the same to runjn. oil.

J ournaled above the cam shaft, is a tubu- -lar shaft 25, journaled on which are rocker arms 26, each made up of abutting flat le corresponding valve stem, as shown in Figs.

2 and 3, while the lower end thereof, which may be provided with a suitable anti-friction shoe 27, extends into bearing against the cam shaft in position to be engaged and actuated by the appropriate and'corresponding cam thereon, so that when the shorter end of said lever is actuated by the cam, the upper end is thrown inwardly with greater velocity, instantly affording full opening of the valve actuated thereby, which, upon release of said rocker arm by said cam, isinstantly closed by the action of the valve spring 14.

The bearing on said tubular shaft 25, for the rocker arm, is supplied with force feed lubrication; so also is the lower end of said rocker arm, so that the friction occasioned by the engagement of said rocker arms by the respective cams, is reduced to a minimum. For this purpose, as shown, an oil compartment is provided in the bottom of the crank case an inner floor or bottom 28, being provided therein, as shown in Fig. 2, the space beneath said inner floor affording an oil well or container, and communicating therewith at the .bottom, and cored in the side of the cylinder, is a casing 29, providing a cylindric bore or chamber therein in open communication with said oil compartment at its inner side.

A pump barrel 30, is held in position over said chamber 29, by a bracket 31, extending inwardly from the walls of the crank case, and slidable through said barrel 30, is a plunger 32, normally impelled upwardly by a spring 33, wound therearound, the upper end of said plunger bearing beneath a cam 34, secured on said cam shaft 24. A pipe 35, communicates in the bore of the tubular rocker arm shaft 25, and also with said pump chamber 29, so that the interior of said shaft is at all times filled with oil. At each) bearing of the rocker arms on said shaft, an oil port 36, is provided for the rocker arm, and as clearly shown in Fig. 7 and connected in the hub of each of the rocker arms is a pipe or tube 37, which leads downwardly therefrom along the inner face of the rocker arm and delivers oil to the bearing plate 27 on the end of the rocker arm engaged by the cam.

Of course, the bearing plate or shoe 27,

may be adjustably secured upon said rocker arm if desired, and also at the upper end adjustable means may be provided to vary the bearing of said arm on the valve stem. Conveniently also, and particularly in the larger engines, an anti-friction roller-may be provided on the lower end of the rocker to minimize friction from engagement of the cam with the rocker for actuating the latter. This, in engines of smaller size, is,

however, not necessary. A crank 38, on the end of the crank case, is connected to a valve element 39, journaled in the bottom of the crank case for controlling the level of the oil therein, but inasmuch as thismechanism forms no part of the present invention, the details of construction and operation there of are not entered into here.

When the engine is assembled and properly adjusted a left side closing plate 40, is secured in place, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, to entirely inclose the rocker shaft,

' rocker arm, and all the operating or moving parts of the engine, the joints of course being preferably gasketed or ground to afford a tight fit and prevent leakage of oil.

The operation is as follows:

The entire left side of the crank case being open, the oil within the crank case is driven into a fine mist-almost vaporous in character, which, at all times, bathes all the operating parts of the 7 engine, afi'ording eflicient lubrication. The oil falling upon the valve stem'11,,and passing into the oil port 15, in the sleeve 12, insures thorough lubrication for, as well as serving to cool the valve stem, and also lubrication for the point of engagement of the upper end of the rocker arm, with the end of the valve stem. 7

Owing to the hollow tubular shaft 25, through which oil is conveyed and on which the rocker arms are journaled, the bearings for the rocker arms are readily lubricated, so that minimum friction and resistance is afforded for the operation of the valves. The cam 34, on the cam shaft 24, serves to operate the plunger oil pump, pumping oil through the pipe 35, which communicates with the interior of said tubular shaft25. Of course, the small pipes 37, mounted on 'each of the rocker arms, serve to intermittently receive oil from said tubular shaft '25, and feed the same to the contactingsurfaces of the wear plates 27, and cams upon the cam shaft. The cycle of operation is as usual in four cylinder four stroke internal. combustion engines. However, as the inlet manifold X, has but two branches of equal length, ,owing to the inlet valves of each pair of cylinders being provided adjacent each other, it follows that an equal supply of hydro-carbon mixture is provided for each cylinder, thus afiording uniform and efficient operation.

The shape and position of'the respective relatively high but. narrow combustion chambers 5, arranged above the axis of each cylinder is such that the inlet and exhaust valve of each cylinder at one side of the combustion chamber, are brought into very moved when desired, thereby permitting the removal and replacement of the valves therethrough, and as well the combustion chamber may be cleaned when desired through said apertures.

Of course it is to be understood that details of construction will vary through a considerable degree with the size of the engine. For example, it is desirable to provide rollers on the cam ends of the rocker arms for large units, and in some instances force feed lubrication may be used elsewhere than as shown and described. We have, of course, shown a preferred form of our invention, but we do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device of the class described a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine embracing cylinders, pistons, a crank shaft, a continuously driven cam shaft,

rocker arms journaled above the cam shaft with the shorter arms thereof directed into position for direct contact with the cams thereon, and the longer ends directed into position for valve actuation, inlet and faxhaust valves arranged transversely the axis of the cylinder and at the same side of the cylinder, each provided with spring pressed stems extending into position each for direct contact with the rocker arms, and means mounted on the rocker arms and movable therewith for lubricating the bearings for the rocker arms and the points of engagement of the cams thereon.

2. In a device of the class described a multiple cylinder engine, inlet valves arranged in pairs for adjacent cylinders, an exhaust valve adjacent and parallel therewith for each cylinder, said valves acting transversely the axis of the cylinder, rocker arms journaled at the side of each cylinder 4. -{ildl for characteristically actuating the valves, a crank case open at the top at one side into which said rocker arms extend, end walls formed on the engine, and a cover plate attached thereon inclosing said rocker arms.

3. In a device of the class described the valves and valve stems, and mechanisms for operating the same embracing a bearing sleeve for each valve stem ported to permit admission of oil to the stems, springs engaged on each sleeve and against the ends of the valve stems and acting to hold the valves seated, cam actuated rocker arms extending outwardly along each side of each cylinder with the longer arms thereof contacting a valve stem, and the shorter ends thereof in position to be contacted by the appropriate cam on the cam shaft, said mechanisms being in open communication with the crank case for splash lubrication, and a" cover plate wholly inclosing said mechanisms within the casing of the engine.

4. In a deviceof the class described the combination with an internal combustion engine and its crank case extended at one side of the engine and open for its entire length, of a valve gear therefor comprising a cam shaft in said crank case driven from the crank shaft of the engine, 'a tubular shaft mounted above said cam shaft, aplurality of rocker arms journaled on said tubular shaft, with the lower ends thereof extending inwardly into the crank case through the open portion thereof, ports in.

said shafts to permit oil to flow from the interior of said shaft to the bearing for said rocker arms, valves mounted at the upper ends of the cylinders adapted to be actuated by said rocker arms, and a pipe mounted on each rocker arm leading from the bearings in said rocker arms to the point of contact of the rocker arms and cam shafts to admit lubricating oil thereto.

5. The combination with an internal combustion engine and its crank case, of valves communicating laterally in spaces above each of the cylinders of the engine, rocker arms projecting into said crank case for opening said valves, springs for returning saidvalves to closed position, a cam shaft in the crank case driven from the crank shaft of the engine for actuating said rocker arms, an oil pump, mechanism on said cam shaft for operating the same, communication between said oil pump and the supports for said rocker arms, whereby oil is forced into the interior of said supports and fed outwardly therethrough into the bearings of each of said rocker arms, and a pipe secured on each of the rocker arms and movable therewith adapted to transmit oil from said supports to said mechanism on the cam shaft.

6. In a valve gear for internal combustion engines a stationary tubular shaft, a pluraiity of rocker arms journaled thereon, ports in said shaft and rocker arms adapted to register with one another, a cam shaft for actuating said rocker arms, a pipe connected rigidly on each of said rocker arms and movable therewith and communicating with the port in the rocker arm and at its other end adapted to discharge oil received from said tubular shaft through the registering ports to the contacting surfaces of the rocker arm and cam shaft, and valves for the engine adapted to be actuated by said rocker arms.

, Witnesses to signature of August S.

Duesenberg:

CHARLES W. HILLS, Jr., FRANK K. HUDSON. Witnesses to signature of Frederick S.

DuesenberE E. SLININGER,

WRAY Bnnrnom. 

